The Journey To Own The Roy Rogers Brand

On this episode of The Main Course, Host Barbara Castiglia talked
with Jim Plamondon, Co-President of Plamondon Companies, which
specializes in hotel management and hospitality services. It also
owns the Roy Rogers brand and operates 13 hotels in the
mid-Atlantic. They talked about franchising, legacy brands, and
Roy Rodgers.


The connection with Roy Rogers started with Jim’s Dad, Pete Sr.,
who began his career with the Marriott Corporation in the
mid-1960s when he was hired to begin their fast food division. In
1968, they launched Roy Rogers Restaurants with the first
restaurant in Falls Church, Virginia. They expanded the brand,
and Pete Sr. eventually became the Executive Vice President at
Marriott, overseeing Roy Rogers division and some other
restaurant concepts throughout the 1960s and 70s.


“Dad did feel very strongly about the Roy Rogers brand, loved the
brand, of course, it was in its inception,” Plamondon said, “and
knew what it meant in the quick-serve arena.” - Jim Plamondon


In 1979, Pete Sr. left Marriott and in 1980 became a franchisee
of a Roy Rodgers in Frederick, Maryland. He believed in the brand
and recognized its strength and opportunity, so he wanted to get
started as an entrepreneur, according to Jim. His dream was to
run four or five restaurants, but little did he know it would
grow into something much more significant.


“The brand itself grew to be 648 restaurants under Marriott,”
Plamondon said.


After having careers of their own, Jim and his brother Pete Jr.,
who also owns the business, joined their father in the mid-1990s.
They bought the business from their father and eventually bought
Roy Rogers from Hardee’s parent company, CKE Restaurants
Holdings.